tiny glowing screens

Hanging rosemary above the doorstep, and/or above doors of the house for protection.

Sprinkling a line of dried red pepper on a windowsill, to counter a curse.

Placing a mix of dried & ground eggshells and black pepper in every corner of a room to keep out unwanted spirits.

Placing a decoration representing a witch in the kitchen, to keep away illness and to favor health.

Crafting an effigie (no matter how crude!) and make it into the guardian of your home by charging it with your intent of protection and placing it near the front door.

Rosemary - memory, anxiety, sleep, cleansing, purifying, learning, healing, love, lust, protection, wisdom, mental power

Turmeric - healing, strength, vitality, purification, abundance, joy, prosperity

allspice - healing, energy, love, luck

pepper - courage, protection

sage - health, immortality, longevity, protection against negativity, protection, purification, wisdom, wishes, anxiety

bay - divination, good fortune, healing, anxiety, money, prosperity, peace, protection, happiness, purification, love, tranquility

oregano - peace, love

parsley - protection, power, strength, lust, purification, prosperity

garlic - protection against evil eye

cinnamon - aphrodisiac, passion, love, luck, prosperity, success, spiritual vibrations, energy, purification, healing, protection

cayenne - healing, removing blockages, protection, strength, motivation, courage

clover - fidelity, protection, love, money, success, animal protection, luck

pine - health, healing

nutmeg - money, prosperity, good luck, protection, psychic abilities, happiness, love, health

cloves - healing, love, friendship, cleansing, protection, abundance

thyme - health, courage, eliminates nightmares, attracts loyalty, affection, psychic abilities

ginger - energy, speeding things up, love, prosperity, success, power, healing

mint - avoid jealousy, dreams, protecting, prosperity, joy, fertility, purification, love, success, lust, travel, money, luck

chamomile - love, healing, stress-relief, calming, sleep

lavender - purification, concentration, love, healing, sleep, dreams

jasmine - divination, innovation, attraction, dreams, love, beauty

mugwort - psychic powers, protection, lust, fertility, prophetic dreams, divination, relaxing, tranquility, banishing, consecration

peach blossoms - luck, prosperity, romance, love, passion, affection, harmony, peace, health, longevity

peony - protection from hexes, luck, prosperity, business success, attracts fairies

rose - divine love, self-love, friendship, healing, domestic happiness, lasting relationships, closeness with nature, divination, tranquility, harmony, psychic ability, spirituality, protection, luck

lemon grass - openness, communication, clear mind, love, luck, libido, psychic abilities, calming

chrysanthemum - longevity, mental clarity, optimism, protection, solving mysteries, soothing grief

pink Himalayan salt - purification, grounding, abundance, prosperity, self-love, cleaning, growth, protection, peace, calming

palo santo - cleansing, positivity, good fortune, creativity, love

sweet orange - optimism, charisma, confidence, restoring aura, attracting love, fertility, abundance

bergamot - protection, purification, calming

ylang ylang - sexual attraction, persuasiveness, peace, love, anxiety and depression relief, fairy magic

geranium - prosperity, happiness, healthy pregnancy and fertility

eucalyptus - purifying, cleansing, good health, protection, negativity

sandalwood - calming, anxiety, purification, protection, healing

anise - peace, tranquility, awakening of psychic awareness, luck, spiritual connection, psychic and magic power

jojoba - healing, protection, purification, grounding, meditation, love

frankincense - cleansing, energy, uplifting, inner peace, balance

peppermint - mental clarity, prophetic visions, success, prosperity,

cedarwood - love, growth, longevity, psychic powers, healing, money

tea tree - cleansing, protection, uplifting, energy, memory, love

vanilla - sex, calming, good luck, love, empowerment, happiness, growth

Yes, that is kind of the point of polytheism.

Polytheistic worship includes a massive web of Gods who are all connected in some way or another, their domains overlapping as they work together.

You are just one person so you only have so much time and energy, of course you would worship one Deity who is linked heavily to your journey more than others.

You dont have to be every Deity’s devotee, just like you dont have to be everyones best friend. Sometimes you worship for a specific time, purpose or to bond with a loved one who worships that Deity.

Like I said in my previous post, the Gods will not get angry or clingy if you dont pay attention to them, they existed and have been worshipped way before you were born and way after you are dead.

Dearest Aphrodite,

As the day fades away,

I call upon you to hear what I say.

Wrap me in your loving light,

Guide me through the peaceful night.

Bless my heart with passion's fire,

Fill my dreams with love's desire.

Protect and bless my loved ones dear,

Keep them safe, forever near.

In the evening's calm and serene,

May your beauty and love be seen.

Goddess of love, I humbly pray,

offerings

◇ shells ◇ ocean imagery ◇ swan/dove/sparrow/goose imagery ◇ angel/cherub imagery ◇ heart imagery ◇ valentine's day gifts ◇ imagery/paintings of her ◇ roses/rose imagery ◇ rosehips/rose thorns ◇ rose quartz, amethyst, blue lace agate, ruby, moonstone ◇ skincare/hair care/body care ◇ perfume/cologne ◇ hair brush ◇ mirrors ◇ makeup ◇ water (moon/salt/sea water) ◇ honey ◇ wine ◇ hot chocolate/any chocolates ◇ apples ◇ strawberries/raspberries

devotional acts

◇ give compliments to strangers ◇ dedicate a glass of water to her ◇ collect all types of pretty things ◇ plan your outfits, wear things that make you feel like you ◇ wear jewelry that reminds you of her ◇ create a skincare and body care routine ◇ watch romantic movies or read romantic books ◇ listen to music that makes you feel good, dance to it if you are able ◇ give yourself love, forgive yourself for any mistakes ◇ wear perfume/cologne dedicated to her ◇ fall asleep to sounds of ocean waves or birdsong ◇ take a bath devoted to her ◇ spend time with your loved ones ◇ pour your heart out to someone, or pour your heart out in a journal ◇ donate to women's shelters ◇ create a Pinterest board ◇ eat foods that she likes (strawberries, chocolates, apples, & raspberries) ◇ write poetry about her ◇ talk to her ◇ create a playlist dedicated to her ◇ have a chapstick/lip gloss dedicated to her ◇ paint or draw something that reminds you of her

i often feel inhuman or not part of society, and when i curl up crying from isolation and pain, i find Artemis standing at the edge of the forest, gently observing cities without settling there, intimately familiar with the rawness of nature. she is loneliness to me, both the one that is chosen and the one that is inflicted upon us but that we can choose to turn into something beautiful. i find beauty and kindness in her domain, when the sun shines through the leaves, when i see a deer somewhere, or when the moon is visible from my window, and i remember to breathe and care for myself and for the world.

i pray to her (as well as to Apollon and Asklepios) when the pain gets worse and when i want to give up. she helps me stay alive. she reminds me that stepping outside and sitting 10 minutes on the grass is already good, that dancing to a song for 5 minutes before going back to bed is still moving my body.

as i said, she helps me with seeing the worth and beauty in my life, despite how hard it can be to be disabled, and when she shows me how to move forward she also reminds me that i have the right to demand accommodations. that i have the right to exist and take space, and that i can fearlessly set boundaries for myself.

Sgslhdhldgls

Okay so Amelia Bedelia does one thing incredibly well which is to make cookies. This is not the thing she is known for. But it is her greatest skill and asset and the thing that keeps her employed in the face of All That. Jonathan Harker self-soothes by describing the scenery; Amelia Bedelia does so by making cookies.

Tragically, Dracula doesn't eat cookies, so this will not help her in any way. He probably doesn't even have any chocolate chips.

Her one advantage I think is this. It's possible that when Dracula says to her: "enter freely, go safely, and leave something of the happiness you bring" she just. Does That. Dracula is left with a batch of fresh cookies (what is happiness if not cookies?) just standing there going "what???"

But like. It's not magic. Amelia Bedelia's efforts to take him at his word and Go Safely are not going to protect her from wolves or from Dracula just hauling her back again if he is so inclined. Her thing is she's very earnest and genuinely wants to do a good job - she's not Ella Enchanted who has no choice in the matter. If there's any magic, it's in the cookies, which let her get away with, well, being Amelia Bedelia. And as I said, cookies aren't going to work on Dracula.

So let's say she's been hired to tidy up the place and get it guest ready. She's going to Do Her Best to literally interpret every instruction she's given until Dracula is pulling out his mustache about it, and every time his back is turned she's going to make cookies about it. I imagine by the time they're done with each other Dracula will have entirely sworn off hired help. If the alternative is having his whole house dusted (that's why the ladies' wing is so dusty, Amelia Bedelia did that), he can roll up his sleeves and do the housework himself.

I think Amelia Bedelia would make a GREAT vampire, she's even more rules governed than they are. However I don't think Dracula wants her to be a vampire anywhere near him. Fortunately he's moving to England far far away from the cookie fiend.

And @raimi asks:

She makes lemon meringue pie? where did the cookies come from

Ah! In the one where she's playing baseball (the only one I've read in the past [redacted] years) she makes cookies. But it is good to hear that she is accomplished in all manner of baked goods!

Current books read more like compiled lists without any info on why a thing is (or was) done a certain way. Often I wonder - does the author really not know the origin of this practice or the theory behind it? Or are they simply avoiding any depth because they know what lies behind it but it's easier not to tell the reader?

This results in interesting debates on some subjects in the current environment because it soon becomes obvious that no one on either side of the debate really knows the origin of the practice being debated. But finding and comprehending that information is going to require looking in uncomfortable places.

You'll never believe who procrastinated on their thesis by writing this. (It definitely wasn't me, if anyone's asking.)

One of the more common difficulties that comes with being a Hellenic Polytheist (or, really, any follower of a pre-Christian religion) is a lack of knowledge about how certain festivals were practiced. This problem is especially true in the worship of Dionysos, where many of the practices were unwritten about, due to either common societal knowledge of them, or a more mysterious aspect to them.

I'm going to go over a crash course of historical festivals to Dionysos (using @thegrapeandthefig's Attic Calendar, as is usual), and explain what each festival is, and how it would have been celebrated historically.

Joint pain, stiffness, and limited hand mobility can be discouraging for when we want to practice witchcraft. Here are a few ideas on things you can still do even with limited hand mobility!

This post was released for early access over on Patreon! If you enjoy my content and want to show your support for my work, you can subscribe to my Patreon for as little as $2/month! You can sign up for a week-long free trial now and check out all the rewards I offer - including digital freebies, early access to my Tumblr posts, voting power on future blog posts, and access to my digital occult library and my research notes!

Candles

Candle-Carving

Instead of tediously carving thin chime candles (which can be difficult to grasp for those with hand mobility issues), here are some alternate options.

Decorate your candles with permanent markers, acrylic paint, or stickers! Of course, be sure to take necessary precautions to protect yourself against fire hazards when planning on your decor options – for example, make sure acrylic paint is completely dry before deciding to burn your candle, don’t cover 100% of the candle in paint, and be sure to use non-toxic paint. For stickers and other decals, please be sure to use a burn-safe method, such as this! Please do not use regular stickers to decorate any candles you intend to burn, as it is a massive fire hazard. Of course, if you’d like to decorate candles that you do not plan on burning, more options open up for you! Decoupaging candles is a fun, creative way to make candles for your altar, or even to use as room decor. You could also decorate candles as offerings to your deities!

Something that would require a bit more use of your hands would be decorating you candles by painting them with candle wax! All you need is a few paintbrushes, the candle you’ll be decorating, and candles in the colors that you’d like to paint with. This TikTok is a great guide for getting started with wax painting! This option is great because it’s 100% safe to be burned.

Write whatever you want on your candle on a piece of paper, and place your candle on top of the piece of paper. I personally use tea light candles and place the piece of paper inside the metal casing, underneath the tea light candle itself. Again, be sure to take all precautions against fire hazards when burning candles!

Instead of drawing or carving into the candle itself, use a dry-erase marker to draw on your candle holder!

Lighting Candles

Using lighters and matches can be tricky - here are some alternate options for those who are unable to use lighters/matches, and for those who just aren't a fan of/can't utilize fire!

Use LED candles - you can write on them with markers, and they are a safe alternative for those who don't enjoy fire. They're also super portable which is great for travel! You may also use different LED lights - I've personally toyed with the idea of wrapping spell jars/crystals/other items in LED string lights to 'charge' the items.

Electric lighters - these lighters don't require any kind of 'flicking' motions like regular lighters do; plus, they're rechargeable! This electric lighter is the one I use at home, and I absolutely love it!

Keeping a Grimoire

Note taking, research, and keeping an organized grimoire is difficult enough without the troubles of limited hand mobility. Here are a few things to make it a tad easier.

Utilize text-to-speech and screen reader functions. When you find a tidbit of info you want to save (whether it’s from Tumblr, a book, or somewhere else), take an audio recording of the text-to-speech audio (or, read the content out-loud and record yourself) and save it for later! This saves you time and energy with hand-writing or typing notes.

If you don't utilize a digital grimoire already, you absolutely should! There are free and paid programs such as Google Docs, Evernote, Notion, and many others that are designed to be digital notebooks and are perfect for keeping a grimoire. You can attach images, videos, text, audio files, and so much more!

Cartomancy (Tarot & Oracle Cards)

Shuffling cards can be difficult and frustrating. Here are some ideas to avoid shuffling altogether!

Use a tarot app on your phone - I personally love the Labyrinthos app!

If you still prefer to have physical cards, a more crafty idea is to make your own tarot cards - either print them off or make them yourself (you can also use tarot stickers! I personally use these for my tarot journal), about 2-3" in size. (To make cutting the cards easier, you can get a large guillotine-style paper cutter, like this one that I use to cut my zines) Once your cards are ready, throw them in a bowl or in a large jar. To 'shuffle' the cards, mix them up by-hand or shake the jar! When you're ready to conduct a reading, simply pull cards out of the container. (You could do the same thing with your regular-sized cards, although they may get damaged from doing this, so I don’t entirely recommend it)

Spellcrafting

Spelljars

Spelljars are all the rage right now. However, they can be more rage-inducing for those of us who have trouble shoving a bunch of herbs into a tiny-mouthed jar. So, here are some alternate ideas!

Use bigger, wide-mouthed jars - is it a bit chaotic to use an old pasta jar as a spell jar? Yes. Is it just as effective as those tiny, aesthetic spell jars everyone else uses? Also yes. Plus, they're much easier to handle and easier to re-use!

Use alternate containers like ziploc bags, envelopes, or anything else you have in your house! Obviously, use common sense (you wouldn't want to put anything sharp in a ziploc bag, or anything wet in an envelope) - but you can use any old container or bag to carry out spellwork.

You can also throw all your ingredients onto a pretty plate as you craft your spell! Lay it out however you’d like – you could even get creative and make something like a zen garden out of your ingredients. Once you have it completed, you can meditate on the spell for a while, and ditch the ingredients.

Ditch the container altogether – make potions! Throw everything in a big bowl or pot, stir it up, and utilize it however you see fit. You can make potions/perfumes for your deities, elemental potions/perfumes representing the elements for your altar, and so much more. I personally love to look at those “calm-down sensory-friendly glitter bottles” on Pinterest as inspiration when I’m in the mood for crafting potions – bottled potions also make for great props in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, during Halloween, etc. It can be a  relaxing activity, even if you don’t intend on using it for witchcraft purposes.

Charm bags – charm bags, in my opinion, were the OG spell jar. Throw a bunch of herbs into a mesh or cloth bag and you’re all set! Charm bags are great for sleep/dream magic, bedroom magic, bath magic, and are great options for spellwork on-the-go – just throw a charm bag that corresponds with what you need in your purse/bag/backpack, and you’re good to go!

Digital Spellwork

Tech witchery is my favorite thing to recommend when it comes to those who may be bedridden, dealing with limited mobility, or even those in the broom closet. Here are just a few ideas to carry out spells in the digital realm!

Emoji spells! There are tons of examples available on Tumblr – emoji spells are a great low-effort, time-saving way of conducting spellwork.

Utilize objects in your favorite sandbox video games - Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons are all great platforms to carry out some digital spellwork. @shadow-the-witchblog and @fernthewhimsical both have fantastic ideas on conducting spells in Minecraft, and @stardewspellshed is a blog entirely dedicated to laying out the correspondences and ways to utilize Stardew Valley in your practice. The fun thing about utilizing video games is you can really make it your own!

Create digital collages! Gather up images that remind you of your craft or evoke the outcome of the spell you want to conduct (for example, if you want to create a spell for self love, print out some images of rose quartz, pink/red imagery, confident motivational quotes, etc). Use these collages as your phone/computer background, or print them out and put them up in your room/car/cubicle!

To feel more connected with nature/plants, you may also download plant-care apps or games on your phone! Same goes for pets and familiars – apps are a great way to feel more connected to your practice.

Salves, Tinctures, Oils and More

Making tinctures, salves, oils etc. is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. This lemon & eucalyptus pain-relieving oil is an easy oil to make during flare-ups!

Spell powders and dusts are another great thing you can make with little-to-no-effort. Bree NicGarran (@breelandwalker) has a whole arsenal of spell powders available on her blog, and also in her book, Pestlework: A Book of Magical Powders & Oils. Instead of a mortar and pestle, however, you may opt to use an herb grinder, coffee grinder (just be sure to clean it before/after!), or even a blender with some extra care.

Room sprays are a great way to apply a general “mist” of something to an area. You can mix and match different elements such as moon water, sun water, herbs, crystals, and more to create a spray specific to your needs. Simply throw all the ingredients in a spray bottle and you’re good to go!

Altars, Prayers, Deity Work

Keeping up with deities and altars is taxing even when you’re able-bodied. For someone with limited hand mobility, it can be even more difficult to keep up with. Here are some ideas to aid you with your deity work!

Digital altars are one of my favorite things to utilize. They are easy, convenient, and you don’t have to worry about spending money, making space, or keeping your altar clean when it’s all digital! Pinterest, Discord, Tumblr, and other sites are all great ways of keeping altars. You can use photos, videos, audio, poems… anything you want!

Devotional prayer-writing or writing poetry is another great way to connect with your deities. Instead of hand-writing for your deities, you can opt for typing or voice-recording your devotions! In times of need, you can play your recordings back to yourself.

I feel that it’s worth mentioning that, no matter you energy level or where you’re at on the pain scale, your deities will meet you in the middle. They will be there for you, whether or not you’ve been offering them extravagant meals or can only muster up enough energy to light a candle in their honor. No offering or devotional act is too small, and they will understand that your health and well-being must come first.